


Behind the Disguise

by God_of_Doors



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: College of Winterhold - Freeform, Disguise, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-25
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:29:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 896
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22890001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/God_of_Doors/pseuds/God_of_Doors
Summary: The College of Winterhold has flourished under the guidance of it's new Arch-Mage, but Rila always wonders if it's enough, or if there's some way she could make it better. Naturally, she designs a somewhat over-the-top plan to make her discoveries, and naturally enlists the help of her wife, Brelyna.Written for TES: Femslash Week 2020Prompt 3: Masquerade
Relationships: Female Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Brelyna Maryon
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12
Collections: TES: Femslash Week 2020





	Behind the Disguise

“Is this really necessary?” Brelyna groaned. The question was entirely rhetorical; they both knew what the answer would be, but Rila answered it anyway.

“Yes. It is. We’ve already established I’m not going to get the answers I want any other way.”

Brelyna sighed and perched on the edge of the bed, watching her wife struggle to pull her hair into a high bun. Rila had dyed her normally snowberry-blonde hair completely black, which had made the normally silky texture stringy and difficult to manage. Eventually Brelyna took pity and came back over to help.

“Thanks, love,” Rila sighed as she lowered her tired arms.

“I’m concerned that even with your hair like this and all that make-up, they’re still going to recognize your voice,” Brelyna commented as she undid the mess Rila had created and started brushing through it again.

Rila coughed harshly and ground out in a rough voice, “Will they? Are you sure?”

Brelyna smacked her lightly on the shoulder. “Don’t talk like that! You’re going to ruin your voice!”

Rila laughed. “Don’t panic, Lyn. I intend to let the other students do the talking. Besides, there’s that new group that I haven’t seen much of outside the initial introductions.”

“Are they really going to want to talk to the creepy old woman with the raspy voice and too much eye makeup?”

“I’m not creepy; I’m aiming for -- ow, not so tight -- for kind and motherly.”

Brelyna retwisted the ponytail more loosely and tied it into place. “Do any of the other instructors know about this plot of yours?”

Rila smiled sadly. “Well, Tolfdir found out, but I’m also fairly certain he’s forgotten about it by now.”

Brelyna shook her head, grabbing the hair pins off the dresser and beginning to tackle the flyaway strands. “How much longer are you going to keep him as Master Wizard, Rila? He’s too old for this. It’s a miracle the poor man hasn’t showed up to a lecture without his pants yet.”

Rila sighed. “I know. I know. I just don’t know how to break it to him.”

“Have you thought about who you’d appoint in his place?”

“A little,” Rila murmured.

Brelyna finished with the bun and came around to crouch in front of Rila’s chair, grabbing the black powder from the dresser on the way. “Close your eyes. I need to fix this before you go out in public.”

Rila complied. “What would I do without you?”

“Look like a fool, probably.”

Rila chuckled. She tried not to move her face much, but Brelyna still hissed at her, so she fell silent until her wife finally pulled away. “I’d kiss you if it weren’t for the ridiculous amount of paint on my lips.”

“Well, you look nothing like yourself, so I expect it would feel a bit like getting kissed by a stranger, and I’m not too fond of that idea.”

Rila smiled and stood up. “Alright. All that’s left is the costume and I’m all set.” Brelyna held out the Novice robes, and Rila quickly pulled them on, then made a little spin with her arms out and said in her best old-woman voice "How do I look?"

Brelyna shook her head with a smile. “Ridiculous.”

Rila chuckled “Perfect.”

Their little masquerade went, for the most part, without a hitch, with Brelyna tagging along behind Rila to vouch for her and run interference whenever someone got too suspicious. The only person to figure it out was Urag, who was thankfully a quick enough thinker to play along in front of the students. Once Rila had exhausted every member of the College present, Brelyna managed to sneak her back up to the Archmage’s quarters, and declare the mission a success.

“You know, Rila,” she started as she was removing the pins she’d so carefully put in place that morning. “I still don’t know exactly what you expected to learn.

“Well, that was just it,” Rila replied. “I know you and Tolfdir and the rest of the staff try to give me unbiased opinions of how the College is doing, but nobody can be completely unbiased when talking to their boss, and I have to maintain a certain level of authority with the students.”

“What, you don’t trust us?” Brelyna queried.

“No, no, that’s not it, I just…” Rila sighed as she searched for the words. “I guess I just wanted more reassurance that all the praise people give me wasn’t just… you know… because I’m standing right there in front of them.”

“Rila, you know I always tell you exactly what I think.”

Rila smiled. “Oh, believe me, I know. I knew that even before our performance today proved it. That’s actually the reason I intend to name you Master Wizard after Tolfdir.”

Brelyna’s hands stilled and she looked down at her wife. “You… you what?”

Rila twisted around so she could look Brelyna in the eye, and smiled softly. “If you’ll accept, that is.”

Brelyna abruptly leaned down and pressed her lips firmly against Rila’s, uncaring of the make-up that was now smeared over both their faces. After a few moments more of fervent kissing, Rila pulled away with a breathless chuckle.

“I’m glad you’re happy. I was concerned you wouldn’t feel up to the task.”

“Oh, I don’t,” Brelyna breathed. “But you trust me and that… that means the world to me.”


End file.
